The National Trails Awards program is one way American Trails recognizes
the exemplary people across the landscape of America who are working
to create a national system of trails to meet the recreation, health,
and travel needs of all Americans. The 17th National Trails Symposium
will honor outstanding efforts made by agencies, trail professionals,
volunteers, the private sector, corporations, media, and others, at
the National Trails Awards Celebration Banquet on October 23. We will
also be announcing the winners of the 2004 American Trails Website
Contest.

Trails projects and efforts to be considered for awards will include
work done on trails and greenways, related facilities, improvements
in education and information about trails, and service contributing
to the betterment of trails opportunities. Except for the Lifetime Service
Award, all efforts eligible for recognition must have occurred between
June 15, 2002 and June 15, 2004. See previous
award winners.

Awards Categories And Criteria

Trail Advocacy Award: (1 award per State, the District of Columbia,
and Puerto Rico): Nominee(s) must have demonstrated successful efforts
to influence public policy relating to trail planning, trail protection,
trail development, or maintenance.

Trail Worker Award: (1 award per State, the District of Columbia,
and Puerto Rico): Nominee must have made outstanding contributions and
provided consistent support for trail planning, development, or maintenance.
This award is intended to recognize the commitment and efforts of a
private or public sector individual in working for enhanced trail recreation
in their local area or state.

Trails for Health Award: New this year: The award recognizes
a community's commitment to improving access to trails and promoting
their use and importance for increasing physical activity. The award
is for commitment to long term change through community design, trail
planning, heightened awareness of active community environments, physical
activity promotion, and increased trail use.

Lifetime Service Award: For an individual demonstrating longstanding,
significant, and exemplary service to trails planning, implementation,
and recreation.

Partnership Award: The partnership must have benefited agencies
or services within the field of trail planning, design, or implementation.
The partnership can be between private organizations, public agencies,
or public and private interests. The partnership must have contributed
toward positive public exposure for the field of trail planning, design,
or implementation.

Trails Public Service Award: The nominee must work for an agency
and may hold an elected or appointed office at the federal, state, or
local level and must have demonstrated significant and consistent support
of trail planning, design, or implementation through strong leadership
and/or legislative efforts. The nominee may be a paid employee or a
volunteer.

Outstanding Media Award: Nominee(s) must have demonstrated significant
and sustained efforts to provide positive public exposure and education
in the field of trail use, planning, design, or implementation. The
nominee must have demonstrated a willingness and receptiveness to provide
free public service exposure about trails.

Trails and the Arts Award: The award recognizes outstanding
public art projects, interpretive signs, or other creative structures
associated with trail related improvements.

Planning/Design Award: Nominee(s) must have demonstrated problem
solving through innovative methods on a trail project. The project must
have included successful aspects of public participation and/or public
agency involvement and have been planned to enhance the recreational
trails opportunities within the project area.

Corporate Award: A business or corporation must have demonstrated
significant, sustained, and exemplary service to trails planning, implementation,
and/or recreation.

State-of-the-Art Technology Award: The award recognizes a trails-related
product, process, or service that has significantly met a need, addressed
an issue, or increased efficiency in trail design, development, or maintenance.